Appropriate illumination of an operative field during a medical procedure is an important tool in achieving a successful outcome. Often, there is more than one positionable light source used to illuminate the operative field. The light sources are positioned to reduce shadows within the operative field and to provide favorable line-of-sight lighting of the operative field. A healthcare provider may position the light sources to illuminate the operative field from different perspectives to provide the ideal illumination of the operative field. The light sources typically provide a favorable “birds-eye” view of the operative field. Because of the light sources favorable position, additional equipment, such as video recording devices, may be fixed to or incorporated into the light sources to capture images of the operative field. Often times the light source that is moved last provides the best view of the operative field.
In certain medical procedures, it is desirable to record the entire procedure for use as a teaching tool. Additionally, it may be desirable to record the entire procedure to provide a documented recording in a medical malpractice case or as a means to double check that all tools used during the medical procedure have been properly accounted. A visual recording may be particularly advantageous for surgical procedures in which multiple tools and sponges are used throughout the surgical procedure. While procedures are in place for accounting for the tools and sponges used during a surgery, the procedures generally involve healthcare providers noting the tools and sponges used during surgery and making sure the tools and sponges are accounted for after surgery. Using a video recording of a medical procedure may aid healthcare providers in reducing human error.